With one final day left between myself and returning to a desk bound day job, I find myself asking what else I need to accomplish to be able to focus on work with a lighter heart. I managed to get quite a bit done over the holiday haze, yet not quite enough. Do I spend the day at home, buttoning up a fewast things, or try for one last trail ride? The weather being one major factor, did you know it rains in Oregon in the winter? I got Tarma a second midweight blanket, so every other day I can switch them out and let one dry out.

I do whine (to anyone that listens) that this extended break comes at the wrong time of year for exploring new trails with my brave mountain mare, as the weather doesn’t permit hauling to someplace with better weather (at least not without a site more planning and funds than I have this year). I was “stuck” at home, which did eventually force me into finally tackling some house based tasks that get utterly ignored the rest of the year.

I was able to rip through several books (Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right, Passions in Death, Service Mode, Birding with Benefits, How to Plot a Payback, and Welcome to Pawnee), keep the Labradork gainfully occupied, enjoy time asaddle with both good friends and my offspring, and set the scaffolding for better fitness habits to hang on. Some deep cleaning was tackled, some old clothes and tack moved along, a few new restaurants and food carts sampled. I got caught up on tracking various things, such as 2024 rides and miles (550 miles over 109 rides), miles on the rig and trailer tires in 2024 (6,250; 12,000 miles on those trailer tires in two years, might be getting close to replacement time…), and overall progress on myself and my horsemanship, and my partnership with Tarma.

The main thing not addressed over this rainy stretch of time is overall family goals…and budgets. Tom and I will be huddling up in a conference to at work over lunch next week, and plotting out the year’s requirements, travel plans, goals and budgets to accomplish such. Yes, I stole this idea from a random Tik Tok! We’ll also ensure we’re on the same side, parenting wise, as while Kade is a darling child 90…85% of the time, puberty has hit like a freight train so it behooves us to be a matched unit when faced with a full on teenager, who will be starting high school in the fall. Repeat: my son is starting high school in the fall!